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Opinion: Guest Opinions

Steve Lohr: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and hunting

By Steve Lohr

Posted:
01/10/2017 07:30:30 PM MST

I think it's time some Colorado residents took a good look at what Colorado Parks and Wildlife and hunting has done for them. I say this in light of the petty and outrageous remarks brought out in objection to the recently accepted Piceance Basin and Upper Arkansas Basin predator control plans. These two scientific studies have absolutely nothing to do with animals on the Front Range, or the state in general for that matter. They are aimed at answering very specific questions about what is happening to certain defined populations of mule deer. These two studies are completely defined and constrained with proper authority and scope. As a result of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission's decision to go forward with these two plans, several anti-hunting and self-styled nature preservationists have raised objections about the influence hunting has on the management of wildlife. Well, there is a reason for that and it indeed starts with the fact that hunting pays the lion's share to manage our wildlife through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. If you like to look at the moose in North Park or at Brainerd Lake, thank hunting. Do you enjoy the mountain goats on Mt. Evans? Thank a hunter; and the same goes for antelope, deer, elk, lions, bears, geese, turkeys, and many more. Do you just fish? You better thank a hunter.

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Of all the activities and those who support it, hunting, as a resource for wildlife, is the very last that deserves criticism. Through the last 100 years, species after species have been restored to harvestable (and observable) densities throughout the United States. Hunting paid for the research, the scientists, the law enforcement and all the detail costs that go with it. In fact the discoveries from wildlife management practices in the U.S. have coalesced into a concept called the North American Model of Wildlife Management. It is recognized around the world as the key to successful wildlife management, and hunting is integral to the success. Preservationists who think that hunting is detrimental to wildlife are wrong, and ignorant, and that is hurting all of us who want healthy wildlife.

If you have a problem with a bear, who do you call? Of course you call Colorado Parks and Wildlife. That points out the simple fact that they are the go-to authority when wildlife questions must be answered. But, if you would accept the "let nature do its thing" mentality, you will find there are problems that nature won't solve, and that is a jolting reality for some. While some people blithely accept losing their pets to coyotes, or their llamas to a mountain lion, others are not so willing to accept that as fate. Neither do the people who are storing very expensive hay for their horses want to feed elk with it through the winter. Crop damage hurts people directly by taking their means to make a living, and their losses must be mitigated. Wildlife has to be managed; that is a fact beyond question. Colorado Parks and Wildlife are our wildlife managers. They are supported by hunters who have accepted responsibility for supporting the management of all wildlife. To those who would object to management decisions I would suggest you start coming to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meetings. Take the time to listen to what is happening and learn enough that you at least know the truth about what is being accomplished with the support of hunters and hunting. It is unlikely hunters will ever be recognized for the accomplishments of the last century or what is being achieved in the present; it is a debt that will never be repaid, let alone acknowledged by the preservationists.

If the state of Colorado is going to become a broadly diverse community, as many predict, some sense of our historical culture and traditions must be respected and preserved. Hunting is a cultural and hereditary tradition guarded from one generation to another by hunters. It has deep roots in the traditions of the West and the love for the land. It is a functional element of Western life that should be preserved with due respect for all generations to come. The sustainable and valuable wildlife resources we enjoy are the direct result of the efforts of our Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission with strong alliances with hunters. They deserve a lot more credit than some would allow. It's a shame that some don't recognize that.

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